S.I. Dairy Assn. Disapproves Set Price

Northern Advocate, 28 May 1938, Page 7

S.I. Dairy Assn. Disapproves Set Price

■ I' Special To “Northern Advocate ” 3 |. DUNEDIN, This Day. | Adverse reference to the operation iof lho guaranteed price is made in the i annual report of the South Island ■ Dairy Association, which last year i withheld comment because the scheme j had not been long enough in operation ' to enable an opinion to be expressed. "We have no hesitation in now stating,” says the report, “that the Government has entirely failed to implement its promises to improve the dairy farmer's economic position, and we are emphatically of the opinion that the policy it is pursuing affords no evidence that any consideration is being given to the interests of primary producers. “Because of the tremendous increase in his costs, brought about by legislation enacted by the present Government, the dairyfarmer is denied the full benefit of the advance that has taken place in the market value of his products overseas since the Government came into oflide, and for that reason we assert that its policy is distinctly opposed to his interests. “The costs of production in this country are altogether too high, and bear no relationship whatever to the market values of our exports. What will happen when the inevitable slump in our overseas markets occurs is a matter that calls for most .serious consideration. Whatever may be said to the contrary, New Zealand is essentially a primary-producing country. and the welfare of the people of the Dominion depends wholly on the success of farming industries. If a position is created that will render those industries uneconomic (and that is the present trend), the whole financial structure of the country is bound to collapse, no matter what palliatives may be resorted to by politicians to meet the situation.

“We are apprehensive as to the possible reaction that may ensue as a result of increased tariffs that wore imposed by the Government recently on imports of certain goods from the United Kingdom, It would be a most serious matter for this industry and for the Dominion should any restrictions be imposed on importations of cyir butter and cheese into the United Kingdom, and we sincerely trust thai the Government fully recognises how important it is that we should continue to receive free access to the British markets for our exports.’’